Fears mount for Kilmarnock boss Shiels as chairman talks tough

Kilmarnock boss Kenny Shiels is fighting to save his job after Rugby Park chairman Michael Johnston finally lost patience on Thursday night with his manager's constant courting of controversy.

Johnston is planning showdown talks with Shiels after the Northern Irishman was banned for four games yesterday, two of which are suspended, for claiming in a radio appearance that Celtic have undue influence upon the SFA's disciplinary system.

It is the latest in a long line of run-ins with Scottish football's governing body but it was compounded later when a frustrated Johnston confirmed the club itself had also been found guilty of failing to ensure their manager abided by SFA protocols.

Johnston could barely hide his displeasure after the Hampden hearing - referring to his manager as 'Mr Shiels' after earlier commenting that the 57-year-old was a 'frequent caller' to Hampden.

But it is the fact the Rugby Park club itself has been censured that has thrown Shiels future into doubt.

'I've spoken to him about this sort of thing many times,' Johnston said last night.

Asked if he would be speaking to Shiels again, the Killie chairman replied: 'Absolutely. It is the first time Kilmarnock Football Club have been here (to Hampden on a charge).

'Mr Shiels has been here on a number of occasions and that's why it has cumulatively had the effect that the club has now been brought into the situation as well.

'This is the first time the club has had to appear in front of the panel. That is a situation the club takes extremely seriously and it is not something I would like to see repeated.'

Kilmarnock will discover their punishment when they return to Hampden on June 21 and a clearly-irate Johnston added: 'We are the oldest professional football club in Scotland and are therefore extremely unhappy to have this against our name.

'We now need to take stock of the findings and sit down with Mr Shiels to discuss the best way forward.'

Shiels, who led Kilmarnock to an historic League Cup win in 2012, declined to comment when contacted by Sportsmail last night, but senior sources claimed he privately fears his time could soon be up at Rugby Park.

The SFA had brought the most recent charges against Shiels for telling the BBC: 'They [Celtic] have got a massive influence in the judicial panel and things like that, decisions that's made. Celtic are the monster of Scottish football.'

But Johnston said last night of the disciplinary system: 'I've always found the judicial panel hearings to be fair.

'Indeed the SFA goes to great lengths to ensure all of its hearings and procedures are conducted in a fair and impartial manner.'

Shiels, who is never afraid to speak his mind, has found himself appearing in front of SFA beaks on a number of occasions.

In December last year, he was given a three-game ban, with a further two matches suspended, for comments made about the performance of referee Euan Norris after a defeat to Inverness weeks earlier.

He was also censured for criticising fourth official Andrew Dallas after being sent to the stand against St Johnstone in November. But he would later be hit with a four-match ban for branding Dallas 'malicious and devious' and accusing him of fabricating evidence at the December hearing.

Scotland's referees rounded on Shiels for the Dallas episode but he remained unrepentant and insisted at the time he had been punished for telling the truth.

Indeed, when he was asked for his hopes for 2013 he commented 'impartiality and a level playing field'.

In an interview with Sportsmail at the turn of the year, however, Shiels conceded: 'I want to keep managing Kilmarnock but it might get to the stage where my chairman says "Kenny, that's enough".

'You can put the words "witch" and "hunt" together if you like but I'll keep on telling the truth.

'It's probably going to get worse but if the officials don't like it and I'm not acceptable to their establishment then I'll have to find another career path.'